Angel
by San Diego Jacket
Summary: When an angel enters Gravity Falls, Mabel must defeat an old adversary: heartbreak. One-shot.


_**A/N: Hey, everyone. I know I haven't posted anything in a while. Trust me, more stories are coming, but I'm still working on them. So, to tide you over, I wrote my first ever one-shot. It was based off an idea I had not too long ago.**_

_**Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**_

_**EDIT (3/25/2015): Reworded the ending. It was bothering me.**_

* * *

_Angels_

_Angels are one of the more elusive creatures in Gravity Falls. Admittedly, I've only heard stories about these specimens. They only materialize during times of great suffering or loss, like death or other forms of misery. There appear to be certain categories for an angel:_

_The Angel of Death:_ _Appears before the death of a person. Often told to have dark wings and shadowy completions._

_The Angel of Sorrow/Grief:_ _Appears during times of great mourning (i.e., a widow could see them shortly after her husband's death.) Seems to ease the pain, either through comfort or just being there._

_The Angel of Heartbreak:_ _Appears when someone is reeling over lost love. Similar to that of the Angel of Sorrow/Grief._

_Angels are said to have–._

There were three taps on the wooden trap door. Mabel looked up from Journal #3.

"Can I come in?" Dipper, her brother, asked.

Mabel closed the book, hiding it under Dipper's pillow. "Go ahead," she answered.

He emerged from the trap door a few seconds later, holding a tray of hot chocolate with a blanket on his arm. Waddles popped up with him as Dipper entered the attic. He placed the tray on his bed as he turned his attention to their guest.

She didn't look much older than Wendy. Her skin was a light brown, with freckles on her cheeks. Her eye color was unknown _–_ it was too light to be definitely black, but too dark definitely brown. Her hair was short, sloppily cut, and colored brown with white streaks. She was lanky and wet, though the latter was because of the light rainfall outside. She wore a white dress and gray windbreaker, with two slits on the back. It was currently on the edge of the bed, revealing freckles on her arms, as Dipper handed her the wool blanket. She accepted as she gingerly stretched out her wings. They were a little longer then her arms held out all the way. Her wings resembled a pigeon's: solid grey near the base, with a black band near the bottom. It had another strip of grey before it ended with black tips.

It somehow made her looked even more sorrowful then she already was. The girl seemed like the embodiment of grief itself, though Mabel couldn't say exactly what gave her this quality. Maybe it was her posture or the look in her eyes. Perhaps it was because she never spoke a word, making Mabel imagine different scenarios on what could have brought her to this state. No matter what, there was this aura of melancholy surrounding her.

She wrapped the blanket around her body as Dipper went over to Mabel, whom already poured a glass of hot chocolate for herself.

"Did you get anything?" Dipper inquired as he pour a glass for himself (the angel had refused even a sip.)

Mabel shook her head. "She still won't say what's going on." She replied. "Maybe you can try?"

It was easy to tell the angel had a preference for Dipper. When she and Mabel were alone, the angel had shrunk to the corner of Mabel's bed. Not out of anger or annoyance, more out of…fear. She was a tad less standoffish around the male Pines sibling, though.

Dipper shrugged. "She could still be shaken up. We _did _nearly run her over, after all."

"Maybe," Mabel agreed. It hadn't been more than a few hours ago. She, Soos, and Dipper had tried to go on another monster hunt when it began raining. The three were driving back when the angel had fallen in front of Soos' truck. When they investigated, they discovered her unconscious body a few inches from the truck, with her left wing bent oddly. Mabel looked guiltily at a bandage placed on the angel's wing, knowing that was why she couldn't leave.

"Let's see… Angels, angels…" Dipper whispered to himself, holding the Journal in his hands. After a few page flips, he said, "Aha! Alright… _'One of the most elusive creatures in Gravity Falls'_… _'Angel of Heartbreak'_… Here it is!" Dipper looked up to see Mabel. He read the passage aloud:

"'_Angels are often renowned for their fast healing abilities. An injury, such as a sprained wing, is said to take only a day and a half to mend properly.'" _He shut the Journal, turning to the girl. "Can you stay here until then?"

The angel nodded. Dipper stood up, about to head downstairs to make a bed.

"I'll do it," Mabel insisted. She left the room before hearing her brother's protests.

Clearly, she had caused the angel enough strain already.

* * *

_Fallen Angels_

_Fallen Angels are quite different from their airborne brethren. I have met once such creature before. The event occurred just a week ago, though the memory is now beginning to fade (a possible side effect of angelic contact?) It was a little after a dear colleague of mine had become ill. A Fallen Angel came by one afternoon, claiming he could feel the man's disease from a mile away. For some reason, he never spoke his name._

_We began chatting a little when I asked why he didn't have wings. "I lost them," he'd replied, "when I fell."_

_He went on to explain that he was once an Angel of Disease. During a routine day of work, he met a small, sickly child, whom he grew attached to. As this was forbidden to angels, he was given two options: either let the disease consume the child or "fall". As you can imagine, he chose the latter. "Falling" refers to when an angel becomes mortal, often in exchange for someone else's well-being. Part of this process includes the angel's wings slowly turning into stone. Once the wings were completely covered, they simply crumble off the angel's back._

"_Does it hurt?" I inquired._

"_Immensely," he replied. "It's like if your arms began turning into rock. Whether you mean the weight of the stone, the horror of losing those limbs, or the adjustment without those limbs, it's an awful process."_

Mabel stopped, unable to read more of the passage.

"You okay?" Grunkle Stan asked. Out of the corner of her eye, Mabel could see him wearing a look of concern. "You're turning green."

"Fine," she lied. She always hated lying, but telling the truth wasn't an option. Stan wasn't aware of their angelic guest, as he could have been tempted to turn her into an attraction.

Before he could press for details, Mabel stood up. "I'm giving my leftovers to Waddles," she explained, though a sizable portion of her meal remained. Stan let her leave, beginning to read the morning paper as he resolved to talk to her later. She walked out the room.

As she was heading to Soos' break room, her mind wandered back to the angel. Ever since she arrived, Mabel had been reliving unpleasant memories involving her love life over the last few months. Norman, Gideon (a one-sided situation, sure, but still,) Mermando, that brief thing with Gabe; failure after failure after _failure_. She hadn't thought so much about it since the Love God was in town! Maybe the angel belonged to the 'Heartbreak' category _–_ it would explain why she felt so at ease in Soos' break room, as the man had never really been in a love tragedy.

And why she was staying as far away as possible from her…

Mabel paused outside the angel's door. She took a deep breath before entering the room. The angel was on the floor, playing with some tassels on the carpet.

"Good morning," Mabel greeted, hiding her heart's literal shattering under a grin. "I brought you some food, in case you were hungry."

The angel's hands left the rope tassels as she stared at the brunette. Her head tilted to the side as Mabel put down the plate on a dresser. The younger girl turned to suddenly find the angel right behind her, causing her to yelp.

Mabel laughed nervously. "Whoa, you almost had me there!"

Her laughter continued to fill the silence as the angel continued to stare at her. It grew more and more awkward as the angel's unidentified eye color continued studying her face. Eventually, the girl cleared her throat, but her guest never ceased watching.

"…Uh… You know, there's this human concept called 'personal space'–."

Mabel stopped as the guest's hand went up, seeming to reach for her face. When the angel saw her younger companion's wide-eyed stare, she thought it was because she crossed a personal barrier. However, when she pulled her hand away, she realized it was something else that garnered Mabel's attention:

"Your – Your wings…"

The angel blushed as she quickly snapped her wings shut. Before Mabel could say something, the angel had silently moved across the room – almost as if she'd been floating instead of walking – sitting in the corner, back turned to her host.

The brunette lingered a little longer before sighing. Her red sweater with little bells jingled as she left the room. Before closing the door, though, she stared at the angel one more time, just to be sure. No… She hadn't been mistaken.

There was clearly a rough, white substance forming on the tips of the angel's wings.

* * *

"'_Causes of falling include over attachment to a subject; failure or neglection to help a subject; or distraction either caused or directed from a subject. However, the choice to fall is usually voluntary. During the…' _Mabel, are you listening?"

"Hm?" Mabel looked up at her brother. During a break in the rainfall, Wendy and her friends had decided to head to the lake. The redhead had invited the twins and their guest to join them. Thompson was currently in the middle of a bet with Lee and Nate (something involving water skis); Tambry and Robbie were kissing; and the angel and Wendy were chatting. Wendy, yet again, was another person the angel could be around with little to no problem. Mabel had glared at them while Dipper was reading aloud.

"Hey, you wanted to hear this." Dipper reminded her. Mabel sighed.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm just a little…distracted, that's all. Just keep reading – I'll listen this time, I swear."

Though giving her a worried glance, Dipper picked up where he left off.

As he continued on about the Author's strange encounters with the Fallen Angel, Mabel's mind drifted again. Could she be the reason that their angelic guest is stuck here? Was it because of her that the stone was forming on the angel's currently hidden wings? Is the reason why she couldn't go near Mabel was out of anger? Spite? Worse yet, hatred?!

She could only pick up bits and pieces of the Journal's explanations as she slumped against the damp grass.

* * *

"_How long did it take before… You know…?" I asked, unsure on how to phrase it._

_He stayed silent for a moment. "A day. Possibly two, depending on the time."_

_I would be lying if I said I didn't instantly feel the man's woe. Angels – fallen or not – have this inexplicable talent for manipulating emotions. Their stance, their actions, even their thoughts seem to control each and every feeling you may have. I don't know whether or not this is a power they're aware of, but it happens often._

_After a while, the Fallen Angel left. I never did see him again. Perhaps he left town after I'd talked to him. Get one last weight off his chest before moving on. I hope the best for him._

_And yet... I can scarcely remember much of anything about him now…_

_THUNK!_

Mabel jumped at the strange noise. The rain from earlier had evolved into a downpour. The sound of trickling water was almost enough to lull her to sleep, if not for the loud crash. Lifting her flashlight from the Journal's pages, she saw her brother and pig sound asleep. Curious, she stood up. She tiptoed across the floor to the stepladder before carefully going down. When she entered the hallway, she could clearly hear Stan's snores from his bedroom.

Leaving only one candidate…

The brunette cautiously went downstairs, figuring the angel was simply restless. As she descended, there was another sound she could pick up: a _clinking_ rhythm. It sounded like someone was using metal to chip away at wood.

When she entered the living room, the noise had both grown louder and quicker.

As she began walking towards Soos' break room, it had grown even faster.

But, as she stood outside the door, the _clinking _stopped.

It was replaced by a _whoosh _from the wind by an opened window.

Mabel's eyes widened as she turned the door knob. The door was unlocked, but something heavy was blocking it. It took all of her strength to force the door open.

The room she walked in on was frazzled. A bag, filled with books and tools, was sprawled out on the floor not too far from the door. A screwdriver lay obsolete next to an opened window. Mabel scrambled towards the bed, the cushions being ruined by the rain. When she got on the damp bed sheets, she stretched her neck over the window pane.

There, in the distance, Mabel could barely make out the outline of wings before they darted into the woods.

Before she could comprehend it, Mabel found herself running out into the rain, running barefoot towards the forest.

* * *

_Come on, come on… _Mabel thought, panting as ran through the woods. She pushed the wet hair from her face while trying not to fall into mud or stick one of her bare feet in a rock. _There has to be SOMETHING in the Journal that could help me now!_

She began scanning through her memory. _'Angels are one of the most elusive…' No, not that. '"Falling" refers to when an angel becomes mortal…' No, not that one, either. 'Lured out by candy, Thing #4325…' I'm not even thinking of the same _thing _now!_

She was beginning to believe her search was a lost cause when she entered a clearing. There, the brunette saw the angel, looking more mournful than ever now. The rain had caused her corkscrew curls to sag. She was on her knees, hands covering her face. And her wings… They were the saddest thing of all. The once gray and black wings were almost completely white stone.

The girl lifted her face from her hands and turned to see Mabel, staring dumbfounded. She scrambled to her feet.

She seemed on the verge of bolting again when the brunette said, "It's alright! It's only me." She paused a moment before scowling. "Though, I guess that doesn't help, does it?"

The angel blinked. Her head tilted to the side, with her expression similar to that from this morning. Mabel glared back, now angrier.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't realize you thought I couldn't tell you _hated_ me. The way you act all bizarrely around me – and _only me _– was a bit of a dead giveaway!"

Mabel seemed to grow madder as she continued. "You haven't been bringing back the most pleasant of memories, either! Norman, Mermando, Gabe, even Gideon have been in my mind more than usual! All my failed relationships (and one stalker,) just replaying over and over again in my head! And, if you knew me, I didn't _need _any more reminders than I already have! If you ever talked, I would want answers, but even _then_ I don't know if you'd give them to me! It's just… UGH!"

She plopped down on a log, burrowing her face into her lavender nightgown. The angel was silent. Her footsteps barely made a sound as she walked over to the despondent brunette. When the angel drew closer, Mabel could feel tears sting her eyes.

The young girl felt a hand being placed on her back. It felt like an ice pack – cooling and necessary after a great injury. She looked up to see the angel. Her face looked sympathetic.

Mabel couldn't hold it back anymore. She began crying into her nightshirt. The angel gave her a side hug, but the brunette turned it into a full one, practically burrowing her head into her stomach. Though a bit off-guard by the sudden embrace, the angel returned the gesture. They sat there for a few minutes. Mabel was somewhat happy for the rain at that point – at least her tears wouldn't completely ruin her companion's dress. The angel put her hand on Mabel's head, rubbing her hair soothingly.

Suddenly, a bizarre thing happened: the pain began to dim. All the unhappy memories from Mabel's past – all the romantic ones, anyway – were beginning to dull out in terms of pain. The memories weren't gone, but all the woe they brought was slightly fading, making them easier to bear.

It was then Mabel realized how exhausted she was. It was nearly one o'clock when she left, not having slept a wink. A feathery "umbrella" of sorts formed over her head as Mabel finally dozed off.

* * *

Mabel groggily began to wake up. The clock next to her bed read "10:15." Her hair and clothes had seemed to have magically dried in the light of the reappeared sun. She sat up as Dipper was slipping on his shoes.

"Hey, nice to know you've returned to the world," Dipper teased as Mabel rubbed her head. "You okay?"

"Fine, thanks," Mabel said. She suddenly smiled. "Dipper, you won't _believe _this crazy dream I had! You were there, and Soos, and Wendy with her friends, and this angel…"

"Angel? That's a first." He put his hand on his chin. Dipper took out the Journal before flipping through the contents. "Do you think there might be angels in Gravity Falls?"

"Maybe. Wanna try to find them?" Mabel excitedly asked.

"Sure." Dipper was surprised at his sister's abrupt enthusiasm over angels. He just hoped this wasn't because of her 'epic, summer romance' she wanted. He left the room for her to change. A few minutes passed before Mabel immerged, wearing a purple and blue sweater with a black skirt. A wild grin was on her face.

"Come on; I'll tell you about my dream on the way there!"

The two twins exited the Shack, on their way to an angel hunt. Dipper was already driving the cart into the woods as Mabel began to recount her "dream" about the angel.

* * *

When the two vanished, their angelic guest had enough courage to poke her head out from behind the Shack's sign. Since it was sunny, she didn't wear her windbreaker, leaving her arms fully exposed. A much more major change happened in her wings, though; instead of the pigeon colors, they'd reverted back to their natural white with pale yellow tips. Yet, another interesting note was the new pair of bags that had appeared under her eyes. The angel could still feel the young, twelve-year-old's pain at failed love, even if it was relatively trivial compared to other cases. It was never an easy life for an Angel of Heartbreak – she couldn't _begin_ to remember how many nights she hadn't been able to sleep through – but seeing mortals become happier from her..."visits" made the anguish almost worth it.

The angel smiled – yes, an actual _smile,_ no matter how small it was– as she flew up, vanishing within the fluffy, white clouds.

_**-Fin-**_

* * *

_**A/N: Well, I hope that wasn't too bad. Please review!**_


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